Side Effects: Enbrel

Enbrel is used to treat the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and to prevent joint damage caused by these conditions. It has also been used in the treatment of plaque psoriasis in adults and polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis in children as young as two years old. Enbrel works by decreasing protein produced by the immune system that attacks the body’s own cells after mistaking them for invaders. It is classified as a Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha blocker (TNF-alpha blocker).

Enbrel has been linked to serious side effects and in 2008 the FDA required the manufacturer to strengthen the warning on the label to inform patients about the risk of contracting a fungal infection while using the drug. In a report analyzed by the FDA, 21 cases of fungal infection were reported after patients took Enbrel. Of those patients that were not treated immediately, 12 died. Along with infection, the FDA has also found links to tuberculosis and bacterial sepsis.

In 2011, the FDA also warned of increased risk of Legionella and Listeria, two serious types of infections. From 1999-2010, 80 cases of these infections were reported in patients who were taking the drug. 14 of those 80 patients died.

The FDA has also investigated reports that Enbrel could be the cause of Lymphoma and other cancers, especially in children and young adults. Because Enbrel is an immunosuppressant, it can leave the body more susceptible to serious diseases. In reports spanning over a 10-year period, there were 30 cases of children with cancer who had also taken TNF blockers. Some types of cancer that were found were lymphoma, leukemia, melanoma, and solid organ cancers.